With how disjointed the student body is, it can be difficult to reach everyone, let alone appeal to them. Different forms of communication appeal to different people, so it’s important that you go through multiple routes.
Club leaders, administrators, and teachers alike know the struggle of getting our school’s student body attention. There are multiple ways: the Dailies, putting up flyers, the morning announcements, social media, Canvas announcements, and the Yorktown website. But which one is most effective?
If you want to attract people to your message through entertainment, The Dailies are the best way to go (just email adam.sheppard@apsva.us).
If you would like to interest people who may not necessarily pay attention to The Dailies, flyers are a good way to do this. Some top-tier spots that are guaranteed to be seen by many people include water fountains, pillars, and the atrium. Just make sure to get your flyers approved by the activities office first. And remember–the more, the better.
But what if this isn’t working?
The golden-standard for spreading a message is through word of mouth. While it may not answer the Who, What, Where and When like flyers do, it answers the Why. It shows people why they should join your club or go to an upcoming performance. It shows them why they should care.
Many students here are in their own bubbles and are often solely focused on upcoming tests and how to make their resume stand out to colleges. This isn’t just a local issue, however. Adolescents nationwide now feel more academic pressure than in previous generations. They are simply too busy to pay attention to The Dailies, or to posters around the school. But people listen to their friends. They’ll care if their friend starts talking about a cool club that they just heard about; they’ll be interested.
Think about it: you’re much more likely to pay attention to what your friends say than what a random flyer says that you only see while filling up your water bottle.
If you want to make a lasting connection with our school’s student body, you have to convince people to care. Unless you’re writing an entire essay on your flyers, the only way to do this is by talking to people.
